you know you are in for trouble when.....

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

I was just thinking about the family of a recent admission.We knew we were in trouble when we met the adult children. The #1 contact had tardive dyskinesia and it quickly became clear that reasoning with this person would not be possible. We were taken aback a when we saw the list of meds which he provided. Narcotics,benzos galore. It seems that if his mom couldn't sleep he would just pop her a second ambien and if that failed another klonopin was given. If her back pain did not respond to "vikadin" he had plenty of ms contin handy. A days worth of thorazine was her regular bedtime routine.

It was also apparent that the full time care giver/crack ho was under the influence of something-possibly some of her patient's meds? A few days ago the social worker received a call from the same son-seems mom's social security check did not arrive.He just could not understand that it goes to the home now.

What kinds of things strike fear into your heart when you first encounter a new admission or their significant others?

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Sometimes you know it's going to be a bumpy ride just by looking at the home meds and meeting the family.

Specializes in Acute Care/ LTC.

Well..to be honest..you kind of know that a patient is going to be a PITA when you see ten million allergies listed, and at least a 15-20+ drug list that includes lots of psychotropics....

then on top of that there are the family members with the "web Md degrees" who starts telling you what to do and how to take care of their loved one the minute they come in the door. i feel like saying.."why are you here then?"

Specializes in Gerontology.

I knew we had a problem pt admitted to our Rehab Unit when the manager of the transferring floor escorted the pt and his wife down, and then helped them settle into the new room.

I was right

I was just thinking about the family of a recent admission.We knew we were in trouble when we met the adult children. The #1 contact had tardive dyskinesia and it quickly became clear that reasoning with this person would not be possible. We were taken aback a when we saw the list of meds which he provided. Narcotics,benzos galore. It seems that if his mom couldn't sleep he would just pop her a second ambien and if that failed another klonopin was given. If her back pain did not respond to "vikadin" he had plenty of ms contin handy. A days worth of thorazine was her regular bedtime routine.

It was also apparent that the full time care giver/crack ho was under the influence of something-possibly some of her patient's meds? A few days ago the social worker received a call from the same son-seems mom's social security check did not arrive.He just could not understand that it goes to the home now.

What kinds of things strike fear into your heart when you first encounter a new admission or their significant others?

This is a little off topic and I am sorry but I have to tell you a story I once heard. I remember a social worker telling me that the number of admissions to her state run facility dropped off considerably during economic downturns. I thought that was totally counter intuitive and told her so. She said that the SS checks and the pension checks that the elderly and disabled got during hard times were frequently the only source of income for the family. If the family admitted the person in need of care to a facility they lost that income. On the other hand, when everyone is working then the family needs care for the person with the disability because no one is home. Like I said, sorry but I just had to tell that story. Don't know if it is true or not but your mentioning the woman's son looking for his mom's SS check brought what that story to mind.

Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

I know I am in trouble when my first and middle name is used. My kids know they are in trouble the same way :p

Specializes in Rehab, Infection, LTC.

i knew we were in trouble recently when i got report on 2 pending admissions and the first words out of the mouths of the nurses calling report said ..."i'm sorry".

Specializes in LTC, geriatric, psych, rehab.

I know it is likely to be a problem patient when our nursing home gets the referral instead of the other home. We are the smaller home, in the country, older bldg, as opposed to the county home with all those county funds.

We have one lady who, no matter what anyone else has, she has it worse. Last wk it was, "Oh, Lord, what am I gonna do...I have the swine flu...Oh, do something.." and on and on. She has whatever she hears about on tv. Thank God she doesn't watch House!!!

Our winner though has to be the constantly intoxicated husband of a very nice little lady, who understandably lost her mind. By the middle of the month, he has spent all his money on booze and a prostitute (no joke), and he demands that "mama" come back home. Fortunately, a sensible daughter (along with her constantly intoxicated brother) are co-POAs. Dau. says mom is not going anywhere, so I have to excort Mr. Drunker-than-Cootie-Brown out the door screaming and threatening me with bodily harm, removal of my license, invoking the wrath of God, etc....and i do this job willingly???

i knew we were in trouble recently when i got report on 2 pending admissions and the first words out of the mouths of the nurses calling report said ..."i'm sorry".

Those are the worst!

I knew I was in trouble admitting a patient and 8-10 family members piled in the room also.

Specializes in ICU.

YOu know you're in trouble when..............

You turn a younger adult patient who cannot turn himself,,, and he is perfectly fine,, but then is mother walks in and GASPS "OH MY GOD YOU TURNED HIM!!!! DO NOT EVER TURN HIM UNLESS I AM HERE! EVER AGAIN!!"

Specializes in ICU, Cardiac.

You know when you are in for trouble when:

The first family member you meet apologizes in advance for the behavior of family members yet to come.....

Specializes in ICU.

you also know you're in trouble when.....

The grandson of a 'not yet dying patient' calls atleast 15 times (no exageration) to everyone possible, even the ceo,, to get an excuse to give to the judge as the reason why he missed his court date. (because his grandma is dying))NOT). Then he comes the next day and kicks the front glass doors off the track,, in the lobby.

And, of course, they want to have good customer service, so they let him keep coming back.

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